The Borden Milk Co. Creamery and Ice Factory is a
historical site in Tempe, Arizona. Built originally as an ice plant, it was
altered to also produce pasteurized bottled milk. The Pacific Creamery Plant
was sold in 1927, and it operated under the Borden name until its closure in
1953. The building stood empty until it was reopened as Four Peaks Brewery, a
restaurant and regional brewery.
The Borden operation had enough impact on the city
that a new park was designated "Creamery Park" in 1999.
The Creamery Complex on "Old Eighth
Street" in northeast Tempe was built in 1892 as F. A. Hough's ice plant,
but has been used mostly for processing dairy products. In its first ten years,
it served as the Tempe Creamery and the Tempe-Mesa Produce Company. In December
1907, the dairy operation was acquired as a second location by the Pacific
Creamery Company, a major California enterprise. The company promoted the fact
that it invested in what is conceded to be one of the best equipped plants on
the Pacific coast.
Employing about fifty people made it one of Tempe's
largest employers. Pacific Creamery produced condensed milk, butter, cheese
"and ice, having a capacity for ice manufacture of 15 tons per day and
shipped its "product(s) throughout Arizona, New Mexico and Old Mexico.
Ownership again changed in 1927 when the creamery was acquired by the Borden
Milk Company who expanded and modernized the complex. Façades were updated to
reflect the emerging popularity of Spanish Revival architecture. Borden
continued operations for the next 26 years until it shut down in 1953. Through
much of Tempe's history, the creamery was one of the largest employers in town.
Built in the Mission Revival style, the building is
almost entirely red brick, with wooden ceilings and a glass clerestory reaching
as high as 35 feet, supported by steel suspension. The nine buildings were
listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The current appearance of the Creamery Complex dates
to 1927, when the original structure was remodeled and new buildings were
added, doubled the size of the complex of nine buildings. At that time, the
distinctive curvilinear parapet walls were added to the buildings, making it a
perfect example of the Mission Revival style of architecture that was popular
in early 20th century.
The building shows a variety of construction
techniques using brick, reinforced concrete, concrete block, frame, and metal.
The Creamery Complex, includes the Tempe Creamery Office at 1350 E. 8th Street
which was built in 1915 in the Commercial Box style which provides a good
example of the use of Prism block in commercial construction. This building was
added to the Creamery Complex as a response to the increased spatial needs of
the business.
At Aaron’s Mechanical Services we want you to stay
comfortable all year round. If your HVAC
unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436
and we will come to you and solve your air conditioning service needs.
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